Sunday, March 27, 2016

Jesus Is Risen!!!

Jesus is alive! Thank God He is Risen! This is the crux of His Passion story, If Christ had not risen, His death would mean nothing.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  

 Romans 6: 1-11 NASB

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 1 Corinthians 15: 13-14

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. 1 Corinthians 15: 20 NASB

If Christ had not risen, our faith would be in vain. The power that raised Jesus from the dead gives us the power to live. The death and resurrection is His whole Passion.
    
What does it mean for us as believers? What did the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ do for us? First, the Bible tells us that because Jesus died we have power over sin and death.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5: 1-2 NASB

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.  Romans 5: 9-11 NASB

Because of the atonement, we have peace with God; Jesus is our advocate to the Father.

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus 1 Timothy 2: 5 NASB

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. Hebrews 8:6 NASB

Jesus is all we need, He is the One that died and was raised up from the dead to reconcile us to the Father.

 In the Tabernacle in the wilderness, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies and atone for the people of Israel; not a Levite or any other priest.  In the New Testament, the Word tells us,


Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Hebrews 2: 17-18 NASB

but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore, He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7: 24-25 NASB

Jesus suffered so that we have access to God. Let us not take it in vain by praying to anyone other than Jesus; He is all we need for strength, healing, or any other need we may have. Jesus is now our High Priest and is always interceding on our behalf.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4: 14-16 NASB

When Jesus died on the cross there was a great earthquake, the curtain in the temple between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was torn in two. This was performed by God to illustrate the veil is gone! There is nothing now that is separating us from the presence of God. Jesus Christ is the sacrifice, He is the mediator, He has now satisfied the debt we owed for our sins. We may now boldly come before the throne of grace, and Jesus will help us with every need.

When Adam and Eve sinned, we became separated from God. The Bible tells the story from the fall to the arrival of the advocate, the Messiah, the Redeemer of all people, Jew and Greek, male and female. He is the only mediator the Bible spoke to us to wait for.

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.  John 10: 14-16 NASB

In this verse we see the meaning of the words know, knew and kneweth are the same Greek word ginosko. It means to know very well but pertains to intimacy. It is the same word used in Luke 1: 34. Mary asks the angel how it can be true that she will conceive, for she has known not a man.  The same word is used in Matthew 1: 25; explaining that Joseph did not know Mary until she had given birth to Jesus; and again it is found in Matthew 7.

Not everyone that saith to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name? And in thine name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that worketh iniquity. Matthew 7: 21-23 NASB

He wants to know us in an intimate way, and we take His death in vain when we go to anyone other than Jesus Christ. Go to Him and pray; worship Him. He is expecting you.
  


Thank God He is RISEN!











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